The Facts about Bipolar Disorder

Vlog Summary: Bipolar disorder is a term that is once again receiving a great deal of attention on television, in newspapers, and even in the Deaf community. Britney Spears’ behaviors of late, for example, have spurred rumors that she might have bipolar disorder. Although ASC does not endorse psychiatric labels, we do think it is important to clarify some misconceptions about bipolar disorder. As Sharon Duchesneau explains, bipolar disorder is a serious medical condition characterized by intense, chemically based mood swings. Symptoms of mania can include overly optimistic mood, racing thoughts, bursts of creativity, high energy, excessive activity, reduced need for sleep, grandiosity, impulsivity, making decisions quickly without thinking them through, gambling, promiscuity, and overspending. Depressive symptoms can include feelings of sadness or worthlessness, sleeping too much or too little, overeating or not eating at all, difficulty finding pleasure in life, lack of hope for the future, and suicidal ideations or attempts.

Not everyone with bipolar disorder has the same experience with mood swings. Some adults may have manic symptoms for weeks or months, then a period of stability, then weeks or months of depression. Children and teenagers tend to have more fluctuations in moods, sometimes experiencing mania and depression in the same day.

Bipolar disorder can be difficult to diagnose, not only because it looks different in everyone, but also because many people with bipolar disorder use alcohol or drugs to self-medicate. This can worsen or mask the symptoms. Once diagnosed properly, however, bipolar disorder can be controlled with a careful regimen of medication, psychotherapy/counseling, sleeping, eating, and exercising regularly, and a supportive network of family and friends. Although the movies and media often over-dramatize bipolar disorder and perpetuate the myth that people diagnosed with bipolar disorder tend to be violent or stupid, this is far from the truth. People with bipolar disorders can lead happy and fulfilling lives. Actors Robin Williams and Patty Duke, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, and astronaut Buzz Aldrin are just a few renowned Americans who have lived with bipolar disorder.

What an important message to share with the deaf community. We rarely have access to this kind of information in a way that we can understand it. While watching your explanation, I was able to look back at a friend of mine who took his own life, and see some of the same symptoms and signs. It helped me to put that tragic event into a different perspective.

The equal access to this information here is outstanding! I thank you for sharing this information and I commend DeafRead editors for putting on the front page!

Thank you for sharing and clarifying on BiPolar Disorder. We adopted a boy. His biological parents both have BiPolar Disorder, so we are sorta of prepared that our adopted son has or will have BiPolar Disorder. Right now, he is 6 years old and he seem to behave normally, just like any other average kids. We may overlook or could be wrong. Can a doctor diagnose him as young as 6 years old and be able to tell us if he has a bilopar disorder or not? If he has bipolar disorder, I would assume he should have proper medicatoin early, rather than too late? Please advise.

LaRonda – I’m really sorry about your friend. It is heartbreaking to see someone die like that, especially when there is medication that works wonders to control bipolar symptoms. I am hopeful that the more people understand bipolar disorder, the more they will be able to support their family members and friends who are dealing with it, or seek treatment for themselves.

ASL4ever – Your son is lucky to have you looking out for his best interest. Although he may be at higher risk due to genetics, there is no guarantee that he will develop bipolar symptoms. If you have concerns or want some reassurance that you haven’t overlooked anything, you can talk with your son’s primary care physician, who may refer him for a psychiatric evaluation. Some children as young at 6 years old have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Others are sometimes misdiagnosed with ADHD, because the mania symptoms can resemble symptoms of ADHD. You can check out this link for more information:NAMI link to Child and Adolescent Bipolar Disorder

Thank you for link you provided. We find that very helpful. In fact, we did bring him to our primary care physician a year ago. What he told us was, “Ahh, I wouldn’t worry about it for right now, he should be fine.” We weren’t satisfied with his answer and we weren’t convinced. And what’s more he was a old man. Anyway, if my son is starting to act up on a regular basis, then we will take him to a different doctor for a second opinion.

Michael James Cardosi, DE, CodaWorld, and Don Ames – Many thanks for your support! ASC is glad to share our knowledge as professionals in the mental health field. As always, if there are topics that you would like to see clarified or explained, please feel free to send us an email and we’ll add them to our vlog list.

ASL4ever – It sounds like you are doing a good job keeping your eyes on things, just in case. I wish you the best of luck with your son.

Lisa C. – That’s great that you will be studying more about bipolar disorder. If you don’t mind sharing, I’m curious where you go to school. Thanks.

Thank you for the valuable information on Bipolar Disorder. It is of utmost importance that people be aware of this BP. After NBC’s analyst discussing the behaviours of Britney Spears and Tom Cruise, he attributed it to both the papazazzi and the public. Suddenly, I now remember my old collegemate who took her life in her mid-twenties of age.

I appreciated your position on labeling and the clear sdescription of bipolar disorder. This has come up in people that I worked with, and I had trouble with “labeling” since these were very diverse people who had different coping mechanisms.

Barbara Sachs, a Deaf psychologist at St. Elizabeths Hospital in the 60’s taught me about the use of “labeling” words. She said these labels describe behavior, not the person or personality. When one can describe an illness in behaviorial terms, then one can arrive at a diagnosis and that leads to treatment possibilities.

So, to say someone is “bipolar” is not an insult or a demeaning expression, but describes his problem in the same way one describes a person as having tuberculosis or a broken arm.

Sure. I’m taking psychology course at Tarrant County College in Ft Worth, Texas majoring in social work for the Deaf which I had wanted for years. Afterward I will be transfering to the Texas Women’s University. I met with one of the social work professors at TWU last Summer for her to help me choose the courses to take at the community college. I’m almost 50 and its been hard to going back to college. I enjoyed reading some psychology books for years. I have some friends with Bipolar Disorder and some of them died from suicide.

I total understand what Bipolar Disorder is. Where I worked Human Service Technicain at famous psychriatic hospital for deaf program for 10 years. And I have been seem the few deaf patients who have problem with Bipolar Disorder. They need taking the medication make them the right stable a better. If not then psychologist and doctor consider them stay longer or not.

Thanks for making this “bipolar disorder” so clear to understand. But… I can understand that is a swing mood as common, but Bipolar is getting anger easily without any reason. Isn’t that correct? as I notice that bipolar disorder is a most common as an “anger” as without thinking it like a “snap”. It could be voilent, but it is rarely.

Yea, I recall being taken back when media claimed Britney suffered from Bi-polar disorder in magazines and T.V. Not anyone’s biz to label someone as such based upon speculations. My daughter and I had seen Britney in concert years before she became a parent. A trying time for Britney these days under the media’s magnifying glass and I hope she’ll get the professional help she needs. Herself first, career second.

From what I learn from grad classes, there are some cases that deaf people are assigned disorders from misdiagnosis from mental health professionals. Some may misconstrue a deaf person’s ASL or behaviors or communication frustrations as a disorder of some sorts. Deaf people are encouraged to be assessed by some appropriate professionals who know ASL and Deaf culture. Apparently that is not the case for many.

It is great that you’ve shared this with us. Very useful guide for the Deaf/HH vloggers here. Can you explain what does BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) mean. — I think that diagnosis is very dreadful to the many mental health professionals, friends, and families. I cannot (never will .. lol) disclose my name for my own protection because many don’t want hang out with the BPD-ers like me. The Deaf Community itself is extremely small too. Many don’t know the difference between the Bipolar and BPD. Compared to the many different diagnoses, the BPD is the strongest stigma of all. I am hoping either you or Candance will share this with the vloggers one day. Stigma must be removed. 🙂

I feel for Britney (even she made many bad decisions) — not because of her drastic behaviors but her illness that needs to be “fixed” — Labeling is not important however it is important for Britney to seek help. That’s all it counts. Audrey

Well When I watched your video of Bipolar Disorder today as I think I may have it because I worked 60 hrs every week for long years and I seldom become moody or little grump and noticed that other workers talked about it anyway I decided to drink Pepsi to make my body cool and normal From now on I drink Pepsi every am to prevent my mood or not interest action. I guess Pepsi helped my mood to reduce because My body are overwork also I am aware of sugar of Pepsi but MY body alway been fine. I hope Is it ok to drink it?

Jean Boutcher – Thanks for your comment about the NBC analyst on Britney Spears’ and Tom Cruise’s behaviors. It’s easy for anyone to be an armchair psychologist and diagnose people in the spotlight, but like drmzz wrote, only a professional with firsthand knowledge of the person should be making any diagnosis. I am sorry to hear about your old collegemate’s suicide.

Mia and hoeyhemp – Thank you for your comments. I am glad this vlog was clear to you.

Dianrez – You are right that psychiatric diagnoses and labels can be useful in determining treatment options. It all depends on how the word is used. On some DeafRead vlogs, especially in the comments sections, the word “bipolar” has been flung around as an insult. I hope we’ll see less of this in the future.

Lisa C. – It’s great to know you’re studying to become a social worker – an inspiration to many people who decide to go back to school later in life. I wish you the best in your studies. I am sorry to learn of your friends who had bipolar disorder and who died from suicide. As you can see from the comments, their deaths are, sadly, not rare occurrences.

BlueFlameHD – Thanks for sharing about your experience working in a Deaf program in a psychiatric hospital. Getting the right medication combination can sometimes take a while and be frustrating for both patients and their doctors and psychologists.

B.A.D. – To answer your questions:
1. There are always exceptions to the rule, but in general, people diagnosed with clinical bipolar disorder are usually encouraged to remain on medication for life, particularly if they have had suicide attempts or other scary experiences during bipolar episodes. In “The Unquiet Mind”, cited above under references, a psychiatrist shares her own personal experience having bipolar disorder, including her unsuccessful and almost life-ending efforts to stop taking medication when she felt better. This is a wonderful book to read for anyone who wants to understand bipolar disorder.
2. Alcohol and drugs can worsen the symptoms of bipolar disorder because they impair people’s judgment and place them at risk for dangerous behavior. Someone with bipolar disorder who is experiencing depressive symptoms and drinking alcohol, for example, may be more likely to attempt suicide than if no alcohol was involved. For this reason, and also because alcohol and drugs interfere with medication, people with bipolar disorder are better off avoiding alcohol and drugs.

Jac – While most people experiencing bipolar symptoms are not violent, some may become angry or “snap” if their judgment is impaired by manic or depressive symptoms. The irritability that surfaces during mania and depression occasionally turns into anger or aggression.

Drmzz – You are very right that mental health professionals who do not know ASL or Deaf culture can easily misdiagnose Deaf people. With bipolar disorder being so difficult to diagnose properly, it’s very important for Deaf people to seek assistance from professionals who have a full understanding of both psychological/psychiatric issues and Deaf culture and ASL.

Audrey – Glad you brought up Borderline Personality Disorder, often referred to as BPD in the mental health field. Some people use BPD to refer to Bipolar Disorder, but this can be confusing. I agree, there is much stigma attached to the diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder. We appreciate your request and will keep it in mind for a future vlog. Again, as you said, the most important thing is to seek professional assistance in dealing with any kind of mental health issue and not to let worries about labels or stigma get in the way of this.

When I was a student at Gallaudet’s Department of Counseling, I was never clear on bipolar disorder. You and Candance are good at explaining disorders in a clearest and simplest way like another commenter said above. I look forward to learning more from you (more than I learned from Department of Counseling.)

I say thank you again. It’s important to distinguish clinical issues, mood swings versus common non-manual facial markers and emotional expressions that are an intergral part of Ameslan/ASL communication. Keep up this kind work towards common good in our communities of diversity.

Good information. Signing explaining clearly in ASL better than text. I appreciate your time to explain what it is. Many of us are unfamilar with the mental health side like me. Labeling labeling can harm us. Like someone said what is the difference between borderline personality and bipolar? Can you explain when you have a chance next time?
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Hey Sharon! I am confuse and not understand what I read from “Hearing Exchange” blogspot. Her message sent to me was this:

“Deaf Bipolar Disorder Mom,

I am not knowledgeable enough or qualified to answer questions about CIs and bipolar disorder. I suggest that you speak to a cochlear implant surgeon about it. If you are unsure, don’t do anything yet. Cochlear implants and the necessary auditory rehabilitation afterwards require a significant commitment from the recipient and his or her family.

Sorry need to clarify my mistake. It was not Valerie.. It is Paula who is a Hearing Exchange blogger from this link: http://www.hearingexchange.com/blogs/?p=107 Paula made that comments… Sorry I still do not understand what Paula wrote to me!

I am sorry if my answer was confusing. What I meant was that I am not able to answer questions about bipolar disorder. I am glad you found the ASC site as it appears they could help you.

Cochlear implants do not offer the same results for everyone. A lot depends on the person’s history of hearing loss, when it started, when it was diagnosed, how poor their hearing was, if it was stable or progressive. No matter who gets one, it takes a lot of time and energy and appointments with the audiologist and therapists to get the most out of it. Please let me know if I can help you further.

White Ghost – You shared a good point. There are some cases of bipolar disorder that have been associated with head injury.

MULE – In order to have a proper diagnosis, you would need to see a psychotherapist or doctor. If you are doing fine with work and not having serious mood swings, that is good news. I don’t know about drinking Pepsi to help your mood, but if you have been drinking it every morning for years, your body is probably used to it, just like other people drink coffee. You can talk to your doctor to get more information.

B.A.D. – Bipolar disorder is an ongoing disorder, but symptoms do not always show up every day. Many people have periods of time when they feel just fine and have normal moods. For most people, bipolar episodes (mania or depressive) happen without a trigger. Even so, serious emotional stress, major life changes like getting married or divorced or starting a new job, or lack of sleep can sometimes trigger bipolar episodes. Alcohol and drugs, certain medications (including over-the-counter cold medicines and thyroid medication), and caffeine can also trigger episodes.

Suzy – Yes, very true. It is important for mental health professionals not to misinterpret ASL grammar and non-manual facial markers and Deaf cultural behaviors as clinical symptoms. Misdiagnoses do happen more frequently with Deaf people than in the general population.

Bipolar Disorder Mom – Anyone with bipolar disorder needs to be careful to keep stress under control. A hearing parent who has a Deaf child, whether or not that child has a CI implant, will have to find ways to manage stress.

Jana – Thanks. I am glad you found it helpful to watch the vlog. We will definitely keep it in mind to do a vlog explaining borderline personality disorder. As you mentioned, these are just labels, but can be useful to know what they are intended to describe.

After the surgery you see the doctor about 1-2 weeks later so he can check the incision/surgery site. Then you see him once a year just for a check up.

Visiting the audiologist at the cochlear implant clinic is what is most time-consuming. You go two days in a row about 3 or 4 weeks after the surgery. This is called the activation. After that, you go about a month later for what is called the mapping, which is programming the cochlear implant processor to work. Then about two months later, then about 6 months later and so on. It really depends on how you are doing. Many people go for several maps within the first year, then just a few in the second year and after that, they may only go back once a year.

Paula Rosenthal – Thanks for responding to Bipolar Disorder Mom’s questions. It does seem that many factors impact each person’s experience with CI. On one end of the spectrum, there are people who report being very traumatized by surgery and AVT, while on the other end, there are those who report being very satisfied with their results.

Shelley “Siren” Beattie from American Gladiators (http://www.frsa.com/pixfemuscle/beattie.html) is a deaf female who was a formely professional bodybuilder, fitness model, and actress. She had a bipolar disorder and killed herself.

excuse me, but… how the H#LL would YOU even know how she died?? who are you and where did you get your information?? Obviously you didn’t even know Shelley.

I happen to have been a good freind of Shelley’s, I knew her very well. She had been ill for some time, and I know how she really died, so I don’t appreciate your comment and neither would her family and freinds. There are enough rumors out there, ppl saying she had a heart attack because of steroids, etc, we don’t need more!!

How she died is not the issue anyway, “Jean” was asking about her speaking ability.

Shelley could read lips, and she spoke clearly enough I never had a problem understanding her. (I don’t know sign) She loved to talk. She wore hearing aids, and she would sometimes turn them off if she wanted to “tune out”. A few months before she passed away she had gotten a cochlear implant in one ear, and they were planning to do the other. At the time of her death she almost had normal hearing in one ear. She wasn’t born deaf, she lost her hearing at age 3, so she was able to keep talking fairly normally even though she was deaf, she was really clever at hiding her deafness for awhile.

I remember her telling me about when she first got hearing aids, and she got into the car with her mom, and she heard this sound but didn’t know what it was. Her mom started crying and told her it was birds she was hearing, then she started crying too.

…she was a beautiful person,
let her memory live on in a beautiful way…

thank you for bringing this much aligned and painful disorder. While I appreciate all the comments and support people have said, what i don’t appreciate is the fact no one really understands. I don’t see a single bipolar person on this comment section saying anything about living with it or struggling with it.

for bipolar people like me, the stigma continues. despite all the education and information that goes out there, the deaf community is and always will be a cruel lot. For example, JAC said something like this…”Bipolar is getting anger easily without any reason. Isn’t that correct?” Thats an insult to people like me, because now it becomes a label. Not all of us are angry, and many of us are simply frustrated or agitated, but not angry. Anger is a strong word and should be used with care.

Ive lived with this bipolar disorder for almost 20 years, and in a moment of desperation, i just set up a blog-Deaf Bipolar”. The temptation to kill myself gets stronger as I get older, and the pain becomes unbearable. I hope some people will come to the blog and share their own pain or at least give support. I dearly want to live, but god only knows how long ‘I can hold on. yes, I’m taking medication and waiting for my next appt to adjust it so I can go back to being the “me” I’ve always enjoyed.

deafbipolar – Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment about your experience with bipolar disorder and your reactions to people’s comments here. Many people are still learning what bipolar really means and may mean well by their comments and questions, but end up hurting other people’s feelings unintentionally. Hopefully, one day people will understand better.

It is great to know you have set up a blog for Deaf people dealing with bipolar disorder. Could you post the link or address here so more people can find it? I hope you will find support from the community and from your doctors, so you can enjoy life to the fullest.

This is a very totally unhealthy for many Deafies to live in our own life. Like this: people don’t have any respect for who we are being for/by Deaf babies/children and our Rights from day one. It s a real terrifically for me to share all from my true expression feelings from what I have had experienced as I am a true Deaf natural human being to be born into the Medical world that I didn’t have a chance to have my own true identity myself since I was a HOH/deaf oralist child with HA for so many years. Today, without device, I would be a very different person that might be having a better positive mental health more than I ever am now because the feeling is still irritated and bothersome that hasn’t been changing for a better ASL Education for so many years. I am going to say this is a full of scam for Deaf babies/children that forces them to have CI or HA that is more health risks to be involved. It is not natural thing for us to be a real hearing person and Deaf person as is in a real life. Of course they destroyed our natural abilities and adaptations and effective of communication that works for us well. Then who we are? Think about it!

I am still struggled with my frustration/angry feelings because nowadays Deaf children are still losing their intellectual skills and social motor skills with no ASL in Deaf schools or Mainstream schools since 120 years ago, AGBell took over. Why are we waiting for hearing approvals to have our ASL Education while we have the rights? ASL did everything more than devices that people refuses to see the truth . AGB and his associations LIES all along that you have accepted that kind of sickness behaviors by Hearing people who thinks they made the right decision that is usually a big mistake to be repeat it by AUDISM professionals all over again and again for so many years. It needs to stop now. This is a real sickness depression thinking by these Audism people.

What’s more, people who wants to have any devices on their children because they don’t think we are not disabled? That’s bunch of nonsense for them to say it because once the kids were forced to have these devices which it means you are disabled. That’s how AUDISM viewed on Deaf people as is. That’s the truth. AND they denied that they don’t think of us as disabled people while we forced to do this and that in hearing ways. UMMPPHHH it s all mixed up message to spread the words in this society.

This is the whole thing that it triggers me so much because I had been going through hellva situation with their huge oppressions to have the prevention to have the Deaf people’s outspoken to share the truth that has happens to me and many Deafies people with their Coda and Deaf children in everywhere on the internet that what I got in a real life like that. How *258*! (ASL) It wasn’t all me as far as I know why I am so frustrated/angry. ***** Is it my fault or having their own severe cruel mentality issues that causes me so angry or frustrated for being a very positive outspoken for Deaf children’s basic needs that should come first?? ***** Let me know.

AUDISM do not want to change because of MONEY issue , Disrespect Deaf human beings to be continuing and MIND games all along they prefer to keep this up with this kind of attitudes. I do actually feel sorry for those parents who believe in Medical professional first before Deaf people’s rights. This is so unbelievable for us to battle for our rights more than 20 years. It s the law if people ignored our Deaf rights that is usually to overlap everything works for Deaf babies/children/adults. Why is that after all we do not hear everything the spoken language itself alone. It s about music and sound that has nothing to do with our ASL education as well as it helps us to focus on our learning process. Ears do not think but Brain does. Thanks! 🙂

THEY FAILED US however we do not fail ourselves that is the issue here in this society. Sighs!

PS I want to say thank you, deafbipolar to speak it out because this person is very correct. I am very aware of bipolar disorder issue and understand it very well.

I live with bipolar and the “CANNED” discriptions of the illness are not as accurate as most people are lead to believe. No where does it tell you that during the depression you will fall so dark and deep that there is only the hope of suicide of the psyciatric ward to pull you out of it, the uncontrollable fits of crying until your tear ducts just cant keep up anymore. and the mania, try not sleeping for 4 days straight and see how rational your thoughts are. the medications only try and level your moods so they are not as drastic they do not control anything. the mood swings are still there and they still dominate your whole life. you are at the mercy of your brain. the control is of your body is not yours you are just along for the ride. you wanna truly know what bipolar is spend a day with someone who has the illness and learn from them.

Hey, 6 years ago, I heard voices and very aggresive for 9 months. then I went to psychiatric hospital for two weeks, I thought the medications were working.. but still voices. I admit that I smoked weed and drinking for four of 6 years. then I quit drinking two years ago..i became more happy and more happy.. Yes I was manic depressed. then I quit smoking weed four months ago… the voice are quiet. I found that voice is the demon woman. I questioned her a few things. Yes she was prositute, threesome, and bisexual. she said yes when I asked her that God punihsed her for rape, sex assault and molestion. she had 8 different gilfriends. she did date a man before that. Also she was a stripper. I had not realized that we both had sex for 6 years i m human being and she is a demon spirit. then we stoppped having sex three weeks ago.. I had three bad dreams. one is I became a demon, it scared me to death, I asked God to forgive me, then two dreams about the demon woman spirit. she was molested by her father for a while and she committed suicide at 28 years, she committed suicide on oct 28, 1988 that same time I was starting drinking till two years ago. she said yes when I asked her if being gay or lesbian or bi is a sin. I know some bible did not say that but others said that.. I am a little confused, Yes I prefer women but I am scared if I would be punished by being gay after my death.

thanks

Lillian,. 45 years. I have never almmost sex wiht anyone, I had never had a girlfriend or boyfriend but I did date three women just night stands. for men when I was drunk I did have an intercnourse with some men, only drinking.. but I was never happy till four years ago, I stopped having sex with any man.

My brother has bipolar disorder, so I have an idea how hard it can be. I’m sorry to hear about your bad dreams and your struggles. Regarding God, remember that we are all sinners in need of forgiveness of our many varying sins. Jesus offers forgiveness to everyone who will receive it. Guilt is then gone and we can seek to overcome those sins that still entangle us through the power that God provides. I encourage you to pray and seek God. Seek people who will stand by you and encourage you in your faith.

For my brother, schizophrenia and bipolar are kindof the same thing. When he gets manic, he gets schizophrenic.